The Truth About Green Business

Financial Times, Pilita Clark | Jens Beckert

Pilita Clark, writing in the Financial Times, reflects on Jens Beckert‘s newly translated book, How We Sold Our Future: The Failure to Fight Climate Change. Beckert, a director at the MPIfG, offers a sobering analysis: Why has humanity failed to address climate change effectively, despite decades of warning? His central thesis argues that capitalism, liberal democracy, and consumerism – the pillars of modern society – render meaningful climate protection nearly impossible. Recent events, such as the withdrawal of major US banks from climate alliances, bolster his claims. Though unsettling, the book is far from despairing. For Clark, it delivers a jolt akin to being doused with a bucket of ice-cold water, shaking the reader out of complacency. Particularly compelling is Beckert‘s critique of corporations: expecting them to prioritize the climate over profits is unrealistic. Instead, he advocates for business models that align sustainability with profitability.
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